The purpose of legislation
like the Endangered Species Act is to provide a means to conserve the
ecosystems of endangered and threatened species, but not all species that may
appear to need conservation are granted protection. An estimated 100 million
sharks are killed each year largely due to exploitation, yet few shark species
are ever granted protection under state or federal endangered species acts. The
Northeastern Pacific population of the Great White Shark is no exception.
Despite the numerous threats facing the white shark, NOAA denied a petition to
list it as an endangered or threatened species under the federal Endangered
Species Act. In light of the pending California decision to list the white
shark under its state endangered species act, this paper considers whether or
not such extreme protections are necessary. This paper first discusses the
threats facing the white shark, the listing processes of both the federal and
the California endangered species acts, and NOAA’s 12-month negative finding.
Finally, this paper concludes that endangered species protections are not
warranted in the case of the Northeastern Pacific white shark because of prior
government intervention and conservation efforts already in place.

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Reid, D. and Krogh, M. (1992) Assessment of the Catches from Protective Shark Meshing off New South Wales Beaches between 1950 and 1990. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 43, 283-296. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/MF9920283

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; 12-Month Finding on Petitions to List the Northeastern Pacific Ocean Distinct Population Segment of White Shark as Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species Act, 78 Fed. Reg. 40104-126, 40126 (Jul. 3, 2013). After a 12-Month in Depth Status Review the White Shark Was Denied Listing under the ESA.

Compagno, L.V. (2001) Sharks of the World: An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Shark Species Known to Date Vol. 2 Bullhead, Mackerel and Carpet Sharks (Heterodontformes, Laniformes and Orectolobiformes), 101.

Eisman, A. (2003) The Media of Manipulation: Patriotism and Propaganda-Mainstream News in the United States in the Weeks Following September 11th. Critical Quarterly, 45, 55-72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-8705.00472.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (2014) State Laws, Regulations and Policy for the Incidental Take of State Listed Species under the California Endangered Species Act. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/habcon/cesa/incidental/cesa_policy_law.html

(2012) Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; 90-Day Finding on Petitions to List the Northeastern Pacific Ocean Distinct Population Segment of Great White Shark as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act, 77 Fed. Reg. 59582-01.

(2012) Oceana, Center for Biological Diversity and Shark Stewards, Petition to List the White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) as Threatened or Endangered under the California Endangered Species Act.http://oceana.org/sites/default/files/reports/Oceana_NEPwhitesharkESApetition_8_10_12_final.pdf

(2013) Evaluation of the Petition from Oceana, Center for Biological Diversity and Shark Stewards to List the Northeast Pacific White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) as Threatened or Endangered, Report to the Fish and Game Commission 36. https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=58548&inline=1

Evaluation of the Petition from Oceana, Center for Biological Diversity and Shark Stewards to List the Northeast Pacific White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) as Threatened or Endangered, Report to the Fish and Game Commission 35. Incidental Reported Catch Rates of YOY and Juvenile White Sharks Has Increased in Southern California since the 1994 Gill Net Ban.